Scottish Executive

Best Value

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether environmental and social factors are part of the auditing process for best value.

Mr Andy Kerr: The best value audit of local authorities examines the range of services that local authorities provide, including the services that have an impact on environmental and social factors (e.g. education, housing, environment and consumer protection, social work).

  These services are examined against the key elements of best value, as described in the statutory guidance that supports the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003. Included in these key elements is responsiveness and consultation, sustainable development and equal opportunities.

  Best value audits should result in reports that will provide a clear picture of the quality of services being delivered by each council.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what local interest will be served by tendering the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route separately to the rest of the Caledonian MacBrayne network.

  The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  A dh’ fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba dè am feum ionadail a thèid a choilionadh mas e is gun tèid an aiseag eadar Guireag is Dùn Omhain a chur a-mach gu tairgse fa leth bhon chòrr den lìonra aig Caledonian Mac a’ Bhruthainn.

Nicol Stephen: The original proposals for tendering, published for consultation in 2002, provided for the Gourock to Dunoon route to be tendered as part of the bundle of routes which make up the network but on the basis that it would be restricted to a passenger only service.

  Many representations were made in relation to the proposals for the Gourock to Dunoon route, the majority of which supported the continuation of the vehicle service. Following further discussion with the European Commission a way was identified, consistent with EU rules, to meet the local community’s wish to keep open the possibility of a vehicle service. This was on the basis that:

  the Gourock to Dunoon passenger subsidy would be tendered separately from the rest of the network;

  bidders would be allowed to bid on the basis of either passenger or a combined passenger and vehicle service;

  operators would be allowed the freedom to bring their own vessel solutions, with no binding to VesCo vessels;

  the restrictions on any vehicle service would be maintained (in terms of frequency and length of operating day applied to the Gourock to Dunoon service currently operated by CalMac), and

  the outcome would be determined on the basis of the lowest cost bid (in line with the rules for Public Service Obligations) regardless of whether this is for a passenger-only or a combined service.

  These proposals were set out in the consultation paper, Proposals for Tendering Gourock to Dunoon Ferry Services, published in March 2003 placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 27056). Discussions are on-going in relation to the Gourock to Dunoon route and ministers will announce their conclusions in due course.

  The Scottish Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation.

  Bha a' chiad mholaidhean airson tairgsean a chur a-steach, foillsichte airson co-chomhairle ann an 2002, a' dèanamh ullachadh airson slighe Guireag-Dùn Omhain a bhith air a chur a-mach gu tairgse mar phàirt den phasgan de shlighean san lìonra ach air stèidh a bhith air a chuingealachadh ri seirbheis luchd-siubhail a-mhàin.

  Bha mòran thagraidhean ann a thaobh nam molaidhean airson slighe Guireag-Dùn Omhain, a' mhòr-chuid dhiubh airson cumail a' dol leis an t-seirbheis charbad. An dèidh tuilleadh beachdachaidh le Coimisean na h-Eòrpa bha dòigh air a shònrachadh, co-chòrdail ri riaghailtean an EU, gus coinneachadh ri iarrtas na coimhearsnachd ionadail an comas airson seirbheis charbad a chumail fosgailte. Bha seo air stèidh gum biodh:

  tabhartas luchd-siubhail Guireag-Dùn Omhain air a chur gu tairgse air leth bhon chòrr den lìonra;

  cead aig buidhnean iarrtas a chur a-steach air stèidh seirbheis luchd-siubhail no luchd-siubhail agus carbadan còmhla;

  saorsa aig luchd-ruith na seirbheis am fuasglaidhean fhèin airson soithichean a thoirt a-steach, gun a bhith ceangailte ri soithichean VesCo;

  na cuibhreachaidhean air seirbheis charbad sam bith air an cumail suas (a thaobh tricead agus fad là obrach na seirbheis Guireag-Dùn Omhain a tha an-dràsta air a ruith le CalMac); agus

  an toradh air a cho-dhùnadh air stèidh na tairgse as lugha cosgais (a rèir nan riaghailtean airson Dleastanasan na Seirbheis Phoblaich) eadar gu bheil seo a-mhàin airson luchd-siubhail a-mhàin no airson seirbheis luchd-siubhail agus carbad còmhla.

  Bha na molaidhean sin air an comharrachadh sa phàipear co-chomhairleachaidh, Proposals for Tendering Gourock to Dunoon Ferry Services, foillsichte sa Mhàrt 2003. Tha deasbadan a' dol air adhart an co-cheangal ri slighe Guireag-Dùn Omhain agus fhoillsichidh Ministearan an co-dhùnaidhean an ceann seala.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage pharmacies to provide unexpired returned medicines for reuse in countries in Africa.

Malcolm Chisholm: Once medicines have been dispensed, they cannot be reused. The reasons for this include hygiene and safety. It is also not possible to guarantee that any returned medicines have been stored appropriately in patients’ homes.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider adding portable oxygen conservers to the Scottish drugs tariff and, if so, what the likely timescale is.

Malcolm Chisholm: Work is in hand to conduct a study that will consider the clinical and financial benefits that could possibly result from making oxygen conservation devices available on NHS prescription. The outcomes of the study will be considered in the review of Domiciliary Oxygen Therapy Service which is to take place towards the end of 2005.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are registered as having a need for clinical oxygen therapy.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are no formal registration arrangements for people requiring oxygen therapy. However it is estimated that there are approximately 3,000 patients receiving therapy via concentrators supplied by the hospital service, and approximately 5,000 patients receiving therapy in cylinder form.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are registered as having a need for clinical oxygen therapy for eight hours a day or more.

Malcolm Chisholm: Approximately 3,000 patients are currently receiving oxygen therapy via oxygen concentrators provided by the hospital service. The threshold of eight hours a day was introduced in April this year. The previous threshold was 15 hours a day or more and it is currently too soon to ascertain the impact on concentrator users.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost per patient has been of the provision of portable oxygen conservers in each of the last four years.

Malcolm Chisholm: Portable oxygen equipment has been available on GP prescription since 1 April 2004. Oxygen conserver devices are not available on GP prescription. Although portable oxygen has always been available through the hospital services in cases of clinical need, I am advised that oxygen conservers have not been supplied as part of that service.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total fertility rate was in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on fertility trends in Scotland is available from the General Register Office for Scotland website. The member should note that this information is not calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

  www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/grosweb/grosweb.nsf/pages/02annual-report-chapter2#fig2.7.

Historic Events

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commemorate next year’s 700th anniversary of the execution of William Wallace.

Mr Frank McAveety: The 700th Anniversary of William Wallace’s death will be a significant attraction for visitors to Stirling in particular and Scotland as a whole. We are therefore working with Stirling Council, VisitScotland and Historic Scotland to develop an appropriate programme of educational activities and events for August 2005.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what score was given for the needs assessment element of each local housing strategy, using the following grades; outstanding, excellent, very good, good, good in parts, generally weak and weak.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to reply. Her response is as follows:

  No grading was given specifically to the needs assessment element of each local housing strategy. The assessment was undertaken as part of the "Housing Market General" segment of the "Housing Market Analysis, Needs Assessment and Problem Identification" critical criteria. The gradings given are:

  Local Housing Strategy – Criteria 4a.

  Housing Market General

  

Council
Grading


Aberdeen City Council
Good in Parts


Aberdeenshire Council 
Good


Angus Council 
Good


Argyll and Bute Council 
Good


City of Edinburgh Council
Very Good


Clackmannanshire Council 
Good


Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar 
Good


Dumfries and Galloway Council 
Good


Dundee City Council 
Good


East Ayrshire Council
Good in Parts


East Dunbartonshire Council 
Good


East Lothian Council
Very Good


East Renfrewshire Council 
Good


Falkirk Council 
Good


Fife Council 
Very Good


Glasgow City Council
Good in Parts


Highland Council
Good


Inverclyde Council 
Good in Parts


Midlothian Council
Some Significant Weaknesses


Moray Council 
Good


North Ayrshire Council
Good in Parts


North Lanarkshire Council
Good


Orkney Islands Council 
Very Good


Perth and Kinross Council
Very Good


Renfrewshire Council 
Good


Scottish Borders Council 
Good in Parts


Shetland Islands Council 
Good in Parts


South Ayrshire Council
Good in Parts


South Lanarkshire Council 
Very Good


Stirling Council
Good


West Dunbartonshire Council
Good in Parts


West Lothian Council
Good in Parts

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses were built in the social rented sector in each local authority area in 2003-04.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Ministers have given a commitment to provide 18,000 new and improved homes for social rent and low-cost home ownership in the three years up to 2006. The principal mechanism for funding this new affordable housing is the Scottish Executive Housing Investment Programme. The following table shows the number of new and improved housing approvals made available through the Scottish Executive for social rent in 2003-04.

  Number of New and Improved Housing Approvals Made Available Through the Scottish Executive for Social Rented Sector Housing (2003-04)

  

 
2003-04


Aberdeenshire
172


Angus
98


Argyll and Bute
79


City of Aberdeen
210


City of Dundee
331


City of Edinburgh
496


City of Glasgow
860


Clackmannan
27


Dumfries and Galloway
154


East Ayrshire
40


East Dunbartonshire
13


East Lothian
151


East Renfrewshire
4


Falkirk
6


Fife
176


Highland
127


Inverclyde
128


Midlothian
1


Moray
86


North Ayrshire
79


North Lanarkshire
159


Orkney Islands
34


Perth and Kinross
118


Renfrewshire
353


Shetland Islands
29


South Ayrshire
60


South Lanarkshire
426


Stirling
114


The Scottish Borders
61


West Dunbartonshire
168


West Lothian
105


Western Islands
39



  Note: Figures include houses by housing associations and other suppliers for the social rented sector and do not include homes destined for low-cost home ownership or other forms of affordable housing.

Local Government and Housing Act 1989

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that local authorities ensure a political balance of parties’ representatives on each council in allocating councillors to committees; whether it will publish evidence it has received in respect of the track record of local authorities in this regard; whether it will make it a statutory duty to ensure such political balance by implementing sections 15 to 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989; whether it is satisfied that the current voluntary approach to political balance is working, and whether it will make the evidence that it has considered in this regard available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Tavish Scott: Sections 15 to 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 would place a duty on local authorities to ensure that the political balance on council committees reflects the political balance on the council itself. We have received a small number of representations on this issue, but we are not aware of any widespread view that the current voluntary approach is failing. The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities have confirmed that the issue has not been raised with them and that they see no reason to impose a statutory duty on councils. We will, however, keep the position under review, particularly in the context of the introduction of the single transferable vote for local government elections.

Meat Industry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of beef imports from (a) EU and (b) non-EU countries to Scotland in each of the last five years, showing also percentage changes for each year and what information it has on such imports to the UK in each of the last five years.

Ross Finnie: Import statistics are only available at UK level. The following table shows UK beef imports (bovine animal products) for each of the last five years with percentage changes.

  

Quantity (millions kilograms)
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


EU-15 countries
97.4
104.3
136.1
158.2
204.1


Non-EU countries
45.1
49.0
57.3
67.8
65.2


% changes
 
% change 
1999-2000
% change 
2000-01
% change 
2001-02
% change 
2002-03


EU-15 countries
 
+7
+30
+16
+29


Non-EU countries
 
+9
+17
+18
-4

Mortality

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the probability has been of dying between the ages of 15 and 59 years, expressed per 1,000 of the population, in each year since 1997, broken down by gender.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is given in the following table:

  Deaths Aged 15 to 59, Scotland; Rates Per 1,000 Population

  

 
Males
Females


1997
3.3
1.9


1998
3.3
1.8


1999
3.4
1.8


2000
3.2
1.8


2001
3.4
1.8


2002
3.4
1.8


2003
3.2
1.8

NHS Staff

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing NHS staff shortages in radiology.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity across all staff groups within NHSScotland This includes increasing the number of consultants, a partnership agreement commitment, by working with key partners to address recruitment and retention of consultants in NHSScotland.

  Between 2002 and 2003, the radiologist establishment has increased by 4.6% from 225.2 whole-time equivalents (WTEs) to 235.7 WTEs.

  The consultant radiologist vacancy rate has risen from 11% to 13.4% in the same period. However, the number of Specialist Registrars has also increased from 87 in 2001 to 101 in 2004, providing an improved supply of training grade doctors for future consultant posts.

  In April 2004 a workshop was organised jointly by the Scottish Executive Health Department, the Royal College of Radiologists, the Scottish Radiological Society and the Society of Radiographers to discuss in an open forum perceived radiology bottlenecks in the patient pathway and to review experiences from around Scotland that have emerged from the Cancer Service Improvement Programme and have been successful in addressing these. These included projects in the Borders, Livingston and Tayside. Further information on this workshop is available via:

  www.cancerinscotland.scot.nhs.co.uk.

  The number of consultant radiologist posts required for the future is currently being planned for through the workforce planning structures outlined in the Scottish Health Workforce Plan 2004 Baseline document:

  http://www.scottishexecutive.gov.uk/library5/health/shwp04b-00.asp.

NHS Staff

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing NHS staff shortages in pathology.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity across all staff groups within NHSScotland. This includes increasing the number of consultants, a partnership agreement commitment, by working with key partners to address recruitment and retention of consultants in NHSScotland.

  Information on consultant pathologists is collected under a number of sub-specialties within the "Clinical Laboratory Specialties" cohort. Since 2002 the consultant establishment within this area has increased by 2.6% from 299.3 whole-time equivalents (WTEs) to 307.2 WTEs. The vacancy rate for "Clinical Laboratory Specialties" at 30 September 2003 was 4.6%. This compares with a vacancy rate of 5.8% at 30 September 2002.

  At 31 March 2004, there were 41.3 WTE Specialist Registrars within Pathology. This reflects a 6% increase in the Specialist Registrar cohort since 2002.

  The number of consultant pathologist posts required for the future is currently being planned for through the workforce planning structures outlined in the Scottish Health Workforce Plan 2004 Baseline document:

  http://www.scottishexecutive.gov.uk/library5/health/shwp04b-00.asp.

NHS Staff

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing NHS staff shortages in psychiatry.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity within NHSScotland across all staff groups. This includes increasing the number of consultants, a partnership agreement commitment, by working with key partners to address recruitment and retention of consultants in NHSScotland.

  In psychiatry as a whole (including all sub-specialties) the consultant establishment has increased by 1% between 2002 and 2003, from 440.4 whole-time equivalents (WTEs) to 445.3 WTEs.

  The consultant psychiatrist vacancy rate was 9.0% at 30 September 2003. This compares with a vacancy rate of 11.5% at 30 September 2002.

  The number of consultant psychiatrist posts required for the future is currently being planned for through the workforce planning structures outlined in the Scottish Health Workforce Plan 2004 Baseline document:

  http://www.scottishexecutive.gov.uk/library5/health/shwp04b-00.asp.

NHS Staff

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reducing the reliance on temporary and agency staff to address NHS staff shortages.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity across all staff groups within NHSScotland. We remain on track to achieve our partnership agreement target of attracting 12,000 nurses and midwives into NHSScotland by 2007.

  Under the banner of the Facing the Future programme a number of initiatives have been launched, with a focus on improving the recruitment and retention of nursing and midwifery staff.

  These have included a review of nursing and midwifery workload which has identified a number of recommendations for improved workforce planning as well as reduction in the reliance on agency usage. This includes specific savings targets against the use of agency nurses in each NHS board area. The Executive has accepted these recommendations and is now working with NHS boards to deliver them.

  In addition a review of current nursing bank arrangements across NHSScotland has identified the potential for improving practices which will impact on the use of agency staff and associated costs. A full report is anticipated in October 2004.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what salaries are being offered by each NHS board to attract dedicated employed GPs for out-of-hours care.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

  There has been no national rate set for salaries of GPs to provide out-of-hours services. This is a matter between NHS boards and individual salaried GPs, but levels will vary depending on the duties involved, the time commitment and local market forces.

Police

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of police funding will be completed.

Cathy Jamieson: I am currently considering the report submitted by the Police Grant Aided Expenditure working group and expect to be in a position to announce the Scottish Executive’s response to this in the near future.

Police

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs of national policing activities such as royal protection duties and offshore policing were considered as part of the police funding review.

Cathy Jamieson: The Police Grant Aided Expenditure working group took all aspects of policing activity into account in arriving at its recommendations.

Police

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of police funding will be published and what level of detail will be available to ensure public scrutiny of the data collected.

Cathy Jamieson: I am currently considering the report submitted by the Police Grant Aided Expenditure working group and expect to be in a position to announce the Scottish Executive’s response to this in the near future. The report will be published in full at that time.

Police

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to collect data on the cost of national policing activities, such as royal protection duties, policing of the Parliament and offshore policing, centrally.

Cathy Jamieson: Data on local costs will continue to be collected by the forces concerned.

Police

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Lothian and Borders Constabulary has incurred costs associated with the policing of the Parliament and, if so, what these costs have been and how they have been met.

Cathy Jamieson: Lothian and Borders Police has received additional grant funding from the Scottish Executive over each of the past three years to help meet the additional costs associated with policing in Central Edinburgh, including the area around the Parliament. The Parliament also contributes to these costs. The payments made by the Scottish Executive in each year are shown in the table. A further annual grant of £600,000 is also being provided to the force from this year to meet the wider pressures associated with policing Scotland’s capital city.

  

Year
Grant Payment


2001-02
£117,436


2002-03
£135,000


2003-04
£140,000

Scottish Executive Procurement

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce an analysis of goods and services purchased by it in respect of (a) printing, (b) construction, including PFI/PPP projects, (c) ICT, (d) public relations, (e) advertising, (f) recruitment, (g) consultancy and (h) audit and accountancy in each year from 1999 to 2003, broken down into how much was paid to (i) companies headquartered in the United Kingdom with no Scottish branch, (ii) companies headquartered in the United Kingdom with a Scottish branch and (iii) autonomous Scottish businesses.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that its procurement procedures offer fair opportunities, transparency and non-discrimination for suppliers bidding for Scottish Executive contracts. Contracts are awarded on a value for money basis and under EU law, we do not discriminate between companies on their geographical location. No records of this type are therefore maintained.

Scottish Executive Procurement

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors its suppliers on the basis of their commitment to environmental improvements and, if so, how this is done.

Tavish Scott: Where it is relevant to the performance of the contract, standard practice is to request suppliers to have in place appropriate environmental management polices and systems.

  The Executive has published guidance for purchasers and suppliers on sustainable development in procurement. This guidance is available on the Executive’s website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/FCSD/PCSD-POL/00017839/susdevguide.aspx.

Security Industry

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from Her Majesty’s Government regarding the timing of legislation to extend the remit of the Security Industry Authority to include Scotland and, in particular, whether such legislation will be included in the forthcoming Westminster parliamentary session.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-8378 and S2W-8379 on 16 June 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Students

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for differences in treatment between Scottish students and those from other parts of the European Union at Scottish universities in respect of student fees and support.

Mr Jim Wallace: Under the Scotland Act it is the Scottish Executive’s duty to comply with EU obligations and be in conformity with the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Executive is, therefore, required to ensure that EU students receive the same treatment as home students in relation to their tuition costs at Scottish universities. It should be noted that this requirement only applies to nation states of the EU, not the home countries of the UK nation state.

  Students who are EU nationals and meet the residence criteria are therefore eligible for the same fee support from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) as students who are ordinarily resident in Scotland.

  Students who have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the three year period immediately preceding the start of the course, and are ordinarily resident in Scotland on that day, are also eligible for student support from SAAS. The purpose of these criteria is to ensure that eligibility for support is determined by residence rather than nationality.

  European Court of Justice case law indicates that EU obligations do not currently extend to student support. EU nationals who are in Scotland wholly or mainly for the purposes of education therefore are not considered eligible for student support.

  However, students may qualify for the same student support as Scottish domiciled students if they, their partner or parents are classed as European Economic Area (EEA) migrant workers, and they meet the residence criteria. This fulfils an obligation under an EEC Council Regulation on freedom of movement for workers within the Community.

Waste Management

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have been awarded money from its Strategic Waste Fund and how much each has received.

Ross Finnie: All 32 Scottish local authorities have now received substantive awards from the Strategic Waste Fund.

  The following are the awards issued to each local authority from the current allocation of £230 million to 2005-06.

  

Council
Award (£)


Aberdeen City
6,282,100


Aberdeenshire
14,750,000


Angus
4,818,000


Argyll and Bute
10,795,313


Clackmannanshire
1,798,547


Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
7,966,000


Dumfries and Galloway
7,777,000


Dundee City
2,561,000


East Ayrshire
4,630,000


East Dunbartonshire
3,878,000


East Lothian
2,442,696


East Renfrewshire
1,354,623


City of Edinburgh
14,710,000


Falkirk
5,900,730


Fife
13,205,219


Glasgow City
9,389,500


Highland
8,735,778


Inverclyde
2,919,988


Midlothian
6,270,385


Moray
6,419,055


North Ayrshire
3,462,000


North Lanarkshire
11,068,900


Orkney
939,000


Perth and Kinross
4,583,000


Renfrewshire
5,428,000


Scottish Borders
7,326,016


Shetland
1,177,063


South Ayrshire Council
4,895,000


South Lanarkshire
8,312,000


Stirling
6,323,859


West Dunbartonshire
4,175,200


West Lothian
8,438,000


Total
202,731,972

Waste Management

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages any need for legislation to control the use of human sewage sludge to regenerate non-agricultural land.

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on establishing a process for the issuing of licences to cover the use of human sewage sludge to regenerate non-agricultural land.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10391 on 13 September 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.